Michael Sam: “I’m blessed”

Posted by Michael David Smith on May 13, 2014, 6:07 PM EDT

AP

Rams defensive end Michael Sam thinks he’s landed in the right place.

Sam, who became the NFL’s first openly gay player when he was drafted by the Rams on Saturday, was formally introduced at a press conference in St. Louis today. Sam thanked Rams coach Jeff Fisher, owner Stan Kroenke and General Manager Les Snead for bringing him to the team.

Fisher explained that it won’t be easy for Sam to make the team, noting that the Rams are already strong at defensive end. But Fisher said that “Michael’s value as a football player is off the charts, so he has an opportunity now to compete to try to make our football team.”

As a seventh-round pick, Sam is no lock to make the roster, but he said he believes he has what it takes.

“I’m determined to be great. I want to train hard and try to make the team,” Sam said. “All my focus is on trying to make the team.”

Even if he doesn’t make the Rams’ roster for the regular season, Sam has already become a role model for young people, and he takes that seriously, wanting kids to know that they can be proud of who they are.

“It’s OK to be who you are,” Sam said. “Whether you’re gay, straight, black or white, it’s OK to be comfortable in your own skin.”

Michael Sam looked comfortable in his own skin today, and proud to be a St. Louis Ram.

The people who complained about their children seeing him kiss his boyfriend are liars and idiots. Do you expect us to believe that your four year-old was really watching the seventh round of the NFL draft? Either your little kids are diehard, analytical fans or they were bored out of their minds. Most draftees kiss their significant others, the only different this time being that it was a man. Big deal. If kissing a man isn’t your thing, don’t do it. No one is trying to make you.

He doesn’t seem to be able to leave the media alone. He was a seventh round pick, and really should have preferred to be a UDFA. The Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year was not drafted at all (as PFT so adroitly pointed out) and he was in a better position to pick his situation.

He seemed a little smug in his press conference almost seemed like he felt some of the questions were stupid… That’s great if you feel that way but then don’t have your own press conference… After all you’re just a 7th round pick.

We only admire him because he was courageous enough to tell us about his desire to be with another man? If he’s leading a progression of our culture, do we still discriminate against polygamists, those with the pedophilia gene, and consenting relatives – incest. Whats the new standard?

It wasn’t a Michael Sam press conference, it was a Rams draft class press conference. Fisher and management said after this conference the team will treat Sam like any other 7th round pick. But that won’t stop the media from digging their claws into Sam and making a circus out of it.

You have an NFL draft history littered with lower-round Heisman Trophy winners, but Mr. up-to-three-months-ago-unheard-of projected himself as a Round 1-3 sure thing. Amazing how identity politics emboldens you. Best of luck.

Will guys like Garrett Gilbert, Trey Millard, or any other 7th round draftee be having press conferences? Where’s the equal news coverage for there guys? Wait a second, that would require balance and objectivity in journalism, and those have gone by the wayside. Plus the fact remains we’re talking about a 7th round pick, which normally would never happen. In regards to Sam making the team, he should be strictly judged on his football merits. If he stinks, cut the cord like any other player not good enough to make the NFL. Either way, a man kissing a man is unnatural and gross IMHO. I don’t care what anyone says. But, if he can sack the QB, then let him make a living.

what really amazes me, is you have Clowney get drafted….Dee Ford was a first round pick and is a tenacious pass rusher

and NFL N and everyone else hasn’t thought to really spend any time on that. Draft Grades, and discussing Michael Sam and how much he can bring to the Rams is what we get. what about all those other picks before him who they will never ever talk about?

done with it. play football, the stuff I saw of him in the draft process he looked slow and out of place among better athletes.

You can be sure that a deal was cut between the league and the Rams regarding the drafting of Michael Sam. Fisher, who co-chairs the Competition Committee, and who already gets the benefits of the zebra’s calls will be given some breaks this coming year.

Fortunately he’s such a mediocre coach and has an equally mediocre starting QB, so it won’t make much of a difference.

After the horrible combine results, Sam is lucky to even be drafted! I mean 2 – 200lb. bench presses? It’s normal for a good pass rusher to bench 10-15 times! He needs to step up his game to ACTUALLY make the team!

I think he is playing this situation to his advantage. Generate as MUCH publicity as you can, over this. Every news story makes it that much harder for the Rams to cut him. It will become a PR nightmare to do so. The Rams aren’t going to want any part of that.
Is this football, or politics? I can’t tell.

Longsuffering, most of the people complaining about the footage on Espn wasn’t about his kiss. It was the whole thing with the cake-stuffing it in each other’s faces, licking, etc. I thought it was really immature. And I’d say the same thing if it was a guy and his girlfriend. Not sure what he was thinking.

This guy had one if the best corner-rush moves I’ve ever seen
He’s a one truck pony but the trick works consistently even when he’s double teamed or chipped. Also very proficient at blowing up counter run plays. Forget the other stuff watch film on this guy! He plays to his strengths consistently and will do well in Jeff’s system the NFC west is the best division in football now!!

His jersey isn’t outselling anyone’s. I don’t know where people come up with this. Obviously the LGBT community want to feel like they are part of “normal” society and everyone is beginning to accept them as such. NEVER happen.

As a 7th rounder he could have used a low profile to sneak up on people and make a couple surprise plays out of the gate. Not gonna happen for Sam. He’s gonna be under a microscope now and better be strong to take the extra hits.

I’m tired if hearing everybody complain about the so called Michael Sam press conference. It wasn’t his press conference although he got the most media attention for being the first gay player. It was a press conference by the Rams to introduce all players like they do every year.

when you get more about sam than the 3rd overall pick and his chances of starting as a QB, wow.

now sam says he will make it(again). he is making it impossible to cut him, and when they do even if its not this year, he will get a reality show called “I am Sam” about his life “after football”

shame on NFL N for having entire segments where they discuss his roster chances, shame on them for spending all of the late 7th discussing him and only him. for once, I actually wish they were talking too much about the QB’s in the mid rounds who probably will never play either but at least it isn’t a guy who was passed on by some teams over 10 times

This is so beautiful….I wish him and the Rams the very best….I will be buying the 1st jersey that’s NOT my fav team….it’s ok though I’m a female so it’s cool to wear a guy’s name on my back…..god bless you Michael Sam:)

Of course he makes the team. He’ll land on the practice squad as no other team will claim him after he’s cut. Then, when the Rams are out of playoff contention, he’ll be signed to the active roster just to keep the NFL out of hot water.

I don’t have any ill will towards Sam, and wish him the best as a football player and a person.

However, there is no question he has used this platform (NFL draft) in an attempt to forward an agenda not related to football. Yesterday wasn’t about Sam being a football player, but rather about the fact that Sam had “come out of the closet”.

This type of attention hurts him professionally. Right now the media circus surrounding this is beyond hysterical, and the media is literally falling all over itself applauding Michael Sam.

But when you use your profession as a platform to promote another agenda, you can end up losing focus on your purpose. Chris Kluwe found that out the hard way.

The Rams drafted Sam to be a football player, not a social agenda promoter. The sooner Sam realizes this, the better off his professional career will be. I wish him a long and successful NFL career, but he won’t have one if he doesn’t stay focused on football.

This was a HORRIBLE idea by the Rams. First he isn’t good enough to play in the NFL and secondly you don’t need a distraction playing in that division. They will regret this one BIG TIME, it will cost Fisher his job.

When I hear the “Ive been blessed” stuff; I think of the old couple standing in front of what was their double wide that was just ripped to shreds by a F4 tornado and saying: “We was blessed…….”. Well, if thats being blessed….I don’t want any part of it.